Conventional telecommunication networks typically include many calling areas to cover a particular geographic area, with communication trunks used to transfer calls between different calling areas. These communication trunks and calling areas can be operated by different companies, or exchange carriers, with some communication trunks used to interconnect different calling areas, often over long distances.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows phone calls to be routed over packet networks, such as the Internet, instead of over the calling areas and trunks of conventional telecommunication networks. Wireless communication devices operating in wireless communication networks are also able to place calls using VoIP technology. For example, some calls initiated by wireless communication devices may use VoIP to connect to other wireless communication devices, or to non-wireless telecommunication devices, such as conventional telephones communicating over the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Typically, a wireless call into the PSTN uses commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) trunks for local calls and feature group D (FG-D) trunks for long distance calls. However, when a call from a wireless communication device traverses a packet network, some information about the call may be lost during transmission. As a result, routing the call becomes more difficult and can lead to inefficient or undesirable routing, especially when interacting with conventional circuit-switched communication trunks and calling areas.
Overview
A call control system to route a voice over internet protocol call between a wireless communication device and a destination communication device comprises a communication interface and a processing system, wherein the destination communication device is located in a geographic area served by a communication network. The communication interface is configured to receive an authorization response from an authorization system located in a home wireless network of the wireless communication device, wherein the authorization response comprises a destination identifier of the destination communication device and a location identifier of the wireless communication device. The processing system is configured to process the destination identifier and the location identifier to determine if the wireless communication device is located in the geographic area served by the communication network. If the wireless communication device is located in the geographic area served by the communication network, the processing system is configured to direct the communication interface to transfer the call over a source port associated with the geographic area served by the communication network.
A method of operating a call control system to route a voice over internet protocol call between a wireless communication device and a destination communication device is disclosed, wherein the destination communication device is located in a geographic area served by a communication network. The method comprises receiving an authorization response from an authorization system located in a home wireless network of the wireless communication device, wherein the authorization response comprises a destination identifier of the destination communication device and a location identifier of the wireless communication device, processing the destination identifier and the location identifier to determine if the wireless communication device is located in the geographic area served by the communication network, and if the wireless communication device is located in the geographic area served by the communication network, transferring the call over a source port associated with the geographic area served by the communication network.